The US Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) warned that Sri Lanka risks losing out on receiving its $ 480 million grant due to delays in signing the agreement. MCC Sri Lanka Resident Country Director Jenner Edelman told The Sunday Morning that the pre-election environment in Sri Lanka was impeding the grant from receiving even Cabinet approval. “We regret that the MCC grant has been politicised. In this pre-election environment, even the Cabinet of Ministers haven’t given approval.” She went on to say that a new Board of the MCC had been waiting for the Sri Lankan Government’s approval for several months. “While we respect the Sri Lankan Government’s decision, there is no guarantee the funds will be available after the board meets,” she said. The newly-appointed MCC board is scheduled to meet on 18 September. Once the Cabinet approves the grant, it must be approved by the President before the agreement could be signed by the Minister of Finance. Of the total $ 480 million grant, $ 350 million is for the transport infrastructure project while $ 67 million would be allocated to the land administration project. Jointly, the two projects are expected to benefit 11.3 million people – roughly 54% of Sri Lanka’s population. With the future of the proposed MCC Compact agreement between Sri Lanka and the US on the fence, the US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Alaina B. Teplitz had also sent an urgent letter to President Maithripala Sirisena recently seeking his intervention to ensure Cabinet approves the deal. President Sirisena had refused to approve the agreement following allegations and concerns raised over some of the clauses. Ambassador Teplitz clarified some of the contentious issues in the proposed deal and assured that the agreement was transparent and was designed to foster the prosperity the President sought to deliver to the people of Sri Lanka.